Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-18

The opening exercise was a SalutatOry by
mr. Adams, and probably, he says, es
capped criticism from the fact that 1t was
in Latin, and the people did not discover
its inherent weakness.
Barnes and Wheeler pronounced Eng
lish orntlons, which their friends kindly
said were tolerable. To Mr.. KEENAN, was
assigned the vaedictury and his reputa-
ton as the best scholar in college, was in
creased by a mastery effort. He was our
elder and superior in genius and attain
ments. This was followed by a short but
feeling address NV the president to the
outg ing class, aud if there was II dry eye
in the house certainly did not see it.
The corporation dined together, and
the graduates were permitted to join in
the repast. At the conclusion the presi-
dent proposed to sing thnt universal
hymn From all that dwell below the
skies" to the tune of "Old Hundred"
and thus that song of all the earth, was
made a part of the regular commence
ment exercises.
Thus was the University Of Vermont in
| augurated rs an instrument for Il great
moral purpose, the perfection of man, as
a rational, accountable and immortal
| being. Long may it remain, aud rs time
| leads in the ages, may It's usefulness be
enlarged and It's fame increased until all
men shall feel that knowledge is an attri-
! butte of the common mind, and virtue the
protecting shield of the State.
| The young men of this day cannot real
| ze the contrast between their day and
| ours. They have comfortable rooms, Il
large airy chapel, a bell calling them To
! their duties. They have well selected
| library, and an extensive philosophical
| apparatus They have the aid of "A pres
! dent, talented, learned aud energetic, and
Il corps of professors of deserved cele-
| brty, and lectures are given in frequent
| cOurst S.
In our day how different, rhe unnn-
! ished walls of new ediiice We're before
! us, but we finished our own rooms. We
had neither chapel bell, laboratory nor APP
! paratus save Gross's orrery. We had a
great man for president There was not a
| tutor nor professor until after our day,
and of course we never had the benefit OF
a single lecture.
THE EARLY DAYS OF BURLINGTON.
In those days facilities for intercourse
were small The conveyance for the mail
through the whole west line of the State
from Bennington to Canada was in wag-
on drawn by two horses. The impulKive
! Wheelock was its owner and contractor.
Grist mills were few and far between,
and men had to carry their grist along
some bride path for many miles. Bur
lngton was just emerging from its nor
NAL condition. Water street was then
the court end of the village, or rather it
was the village. The hotel of that day
WAS kept by Col. Reyes, the first collector
OF NernODu. IL SlOOu where Isaac NNe :
store now Porter Manufacturing compa-
ny's Office stands, while Gid" King
made flip tor his friends in his establish.
ment at the corner Of Water and KIM
street In front of his tavern stood the
notorious oak, legaized as the starting
point of civilization by the occasional
warm embrace OF some piece of mortal
flesh that Col. stephen Pearl the ac-
knowledged chief justice of Burlington
condemned to casti4ation
On Water street resided William Colt,
Job Boynton, Gideon King, John Pome-
roy, Xacheus Peaslee, Jesse Hollister,
Samuel Collamer and others.
The cove III those days, covered the
whole low ground where the Rutland
railroad depot now stands And the sec
ond Gid King moored his sloop at Ad-
miral Fred Mack's work shop, now the
south end of the depot The Pearls, Fays
and Loomises were scattered along Pearl
street. The Farm of Daniel ullburt ex-
tended on both sides of what is now Col
le9e street. A street then unknown.
Every avenue into Burlington, with the
exception of Water street and a part of
Pearl street, has been either discontinued
or materially altered. The first court
| house stood near where the democratic
flag pole stood for so many years in the
Court House square, short distance
southwest of the old Cont House lnow
the Fletcher Library building and the
space west and north was mostly a forest.
Pines covered the spot where Bank
block now stands. AS "civiliza.
ton" progressed tavern was built
by Gideon King IN 1898, on the site of
venience to HIM, being the jailer at the
time, log-jail vas built near the corner
of Church and College streets 1.-The pres
ent site of George |. Hagar's store
In 1902 another court house was erect
ed on the site of the Fletcher Library
hI1il ha ilil t,i 4 =,
site on the east side of Church street be-
tween Bank and Cherry streets. The
court house, erected in 1902, was burned
in 1928, and another built of brick was
erected in its place When the first store
WAS built on the west side of the court
house square, much surprise was express
ed that any one should 20 out of town to
sell goods. But the people OF that day
were enterprising, and they forsaw that
the sure foundation of a successful com
munlty must be laid on the enduring basis
of education.
1t was bold conception to establish 2
college in t1e wilderness but DR.. Sand
ers possessed the requisite energy, and the
people of burlington and this section of
the State are entitled to lasting praise, for
the zeal and lioerality with which they
seconded his efforts. To particularize
where each did what he could and all did
well, would be invidous. Patriotic zeal
seemed an attribute of the common mind
and energy common virtue.
Truth, however, demands that one gen,
tleman of Burlington, from the fact of his
official connection with the college as q
professor in medicine should be especially
named. ! refer to Dr. John Pomeroy.
DIR. Pomeroy was one of the most en-
thusiastic advocates for learning, and his
untiring zeal and patriotic devotion to the
college, as well as TO his friends, knew nc
bounds.
, Probably no one of the many patrons OF
the University ever felt regret for his con
trlbutlons to its interests, unless, possibly,
! that his aid was so small, while every pat
ron of that institution, and every friend OF
progress, as he contemplates The past, and
| its influence in leading in the present, will
derive pleasure in the reflection, that his
foresight of the Importance of institutions
of learning, was well founded, and that by
| his liberal aid, the prosperity of this sec
, ton OF the country and of the State, has
been advanced.
THE FIRST PRESIDENT.